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RadioActive 2/28/19

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Combating Climate Change: Local and State Initiatives to Shift to Renewable Energy by 2030

a) Today we turn again to local and state initiatives to combat climate change. We speak with Gary Friedmann, of the Mount Desert Island organization A Climate to Thrive, on progress on MDI and on the work of the Maine Climate Action Coalition to shift Maine to 100% renewable energy by 2030.

On February 28th, Governor Mills announced that Maine has become the 22nd state to join the United States Climate Alliance, whose members have committed to the Paris Agreement greenhouse gas emission reductions. Mills also announced the administration’s proposal for the Maine Climate Council, which would aim to shift the state to 80% renewables by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

c) Friedmann believes the bills to be heard on March 13th are a start, but must go further. He is not supportive of the CMP transmission line, and cautions care with wind projects. He does believe a dramatic acceleration of renewables and conservation in all sectors, including subsidized decentralized solar, will make the imperative goal of a 100% energy shift by 2030 attainable.